Chicks and Record Keeping

[aart]

I don't keep records, no. My chickens are never going to make me rich or even pay for themselves, so there is no point.

It's not just about money, tho some of us do need to budget expenses.

 

[BantyChooks]

I have kept fairly detailed records for two years, including daily egg count, feed expenses occured, inport and export of birds/hatching eggs, hatch rates and details, deaths, and notes on adherence or lack thereof to the SOP. I keep it in a pair of notebooks.
Every year I back it up on the computer and calculate how much it's cost me in feed per dozen eggs. Last year it was $2.99. I don't count other expenses, just feed and shavings or anything else recurring. Keeps it from being such a terrifying number.

 

[Kris5902]

I have kept fairly detailed records for two years, including daily egg count, feed expenses occured, inport and export of birds/hatching eggs, hatch rates and details, deaths, and notes on adherence or lack thereof to the SOP. I keep it in a pair of notebooks.
Every year I back it up on the computer and calculate how much it's cost me in feed per dozen eggs. Last year it was $2.99. I don't count other expenses, just feed and shavings or anything else recurring. Keeps it from being such a terrifying number.

$2.99 per dozen is a fair price by grocery store standards... and I’m sure your chickens are far better off than the grocery supply chain ones! Free range organic eggs here go for up to $8.49/dozen in the stores! And I agree about not looking too closely at the infrastructure costs, scary! that’s why I stopped after the first three rolls of hardware cloth and two incubators.

I think a lot also depends on the situation and why you’re keeping chickens. If your breeding to SOP for a specific breed then detailed notes on parentage and traits are needed, same goes for production qualities. If you only have a dozen or so birds then feed costs are easy to budget, anything over 50 birds and you need to start keeping a closer watch on things.

With such a diverse group of people here at BYC, the responders to this query could range anywhere from an urban backyard with 4 birds to a breeder with 100’s. Maybe we should include a little background as to where we fall on that spectrum and why we keep, or don’t keep records as well?

 

[BantyChooks]

$2.99 per dozen is a fair price by grocery store standards... and I’m sure your chickens are far better off than the grocery supply chain ones! Free range organic eggs here go for up to $8.49/dozen in the stores! And I agree about not looking too closely at the infrastructure costs, scary! that’s why I stopped after the first three rolls of hardware cloth and two incubators.

I think a lot also depends on the situation and why you’re keeping chickens. If your breeding to SOP for a specific breed then detailed notes on parentage and traits are needed, same goes for production qualities. If you only have a dozen or so birds then feed costs are easy to budget, anything over 50 birds and you need to start keeping a closer watch on things.

With such a diverse group of people here at BYC, the responders to this query could range anywhere from an urban backyard with 4 birds to a breeder with 100’s. Maybe we should include a little background as to where we fall on that spectrum and why we keep, or don’t keep records as well?

Ha, if I included feeders and supplements and incubators and incubator gear and butchering gear and coops I'd be paying $50 a dozen, I bet. Not to mention all my time and effort.

Good idea.
I have a medium sized flock—65 birds currently—of many different breeds and species. I have Buff Chanteclers, Partridge Chanteclers, Leghorns, Silver Ameraucanas, OEGBs, and CX, plus several other random types. I also have ducks, quail, and guinea fowl. Egg production is important to me, as is breeding to the SOP. I butcher extras for meat or sell them if I have customers. I hatch a few dozen chicks every year and bring in hatching eggs and chicks from several different sources. Keeping records—detailed ones—is important in case my flock comes down sick and I need to have a complete list of everyone I've bought and sold from. I also would quickly lose track of which birds I had and why I did or did not want to breed them. Costs are also important to me as I try to be as cost efficient with feed as possible.

 

[Kris5902]

I’ve currently got 17 active layers (10 are mine and breeding stock, 7 are “borrowed”/liberated,) 6 breeding roosters, and 37 meat birds (6 weeks old). We are hatching out 41 more layer eggs, and looking at adding another 12-15 point of lay pullets in the next month or two, as well as a second batch of 60 meat birds (some will be heritage birds kept for breeding). I also have 3 retired layers I’m sort of rehabbing with serious heath issues. So 63 birds now and working to about 100 to overwinter. I’m looking to sell heritage meat birds and layers locally, as well as meat and eggs from our small meat farm.

 

[aart]

Maybe we should include a little background as to where we fall on that spectrum and why we keep, or don’t keep records as well?

I keep 12-18 layers...and have up to a half dozen egg buyers.
Goal is/was homegrown eggs and meat.
I sold a bunch of stuff to buy materials to build coop and run.
I don't calculate all costs, that would be depressing, but I do track them.
Egg sales need to feed and bed the birds, and they do.
The rest is 'hobby'.
Hatch every year for replacement layers.
Cockerels and older hens get eaten or sold.
Have sold some Olive Egger chicks and hens, that is fun and helped balance out costs.
It's not a commercial endeavor, but there has to be a balance.
I keep lots of records and notes because I'm analytical, and CRS.

 

[MarthaTheRooster]

I don't keep records, no. My chickens are never going to make me rich or even pay for themselves, so there is no point. I got them as tick control. I moved into an area where ticks are a fact of life from an area where they essentially did not exist and chickens are a survival mechanism for me. It's also nice to get good healthy eggs out of the deal plus I just like chickens. When I have a surplus of eggs I give some away or sell them, and put the money in the church plate to support the mission work. Somebody said their older chickens are on social security and pension plans. I like that, lol. Mine live on grace. They don't really have to do anything to earn their keep or justify their existence except eat bugs and be happy hens.

Not looking to record if I'm making money, I know I'm not gonna make money off these girls. I just want to keep inventories, receipts, and breeding/hatch records.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

@MarthaTheRooster - Makes sense. I think I'm afraid to find out how much I'm actually losing on the deal, lol.